Supreme Court allows Trump's travel ban to go into full effect

President Trump's travel ban on six countries will be able to go into full effect following a ruling by the US Supreme Court.

It was the latest version of the "Muslim ban" that had previously targeted six Muslim-majority countries, but had been restricted by the US Supreme Court.

President Trump has issued three versions of the controversial policy since taking office in January, however the action suggests that the version of the ban announced in September will be upheld by the courts.

Judges in two judicial circuits - the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in Richmond and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in San Francisco - have expressed their doubts over Trump's third executive order which bans almost all travelers from these countries.

Deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley released a statement saying the White House is not surprised: "The proclamation is lawful and essential to protecting our homeland". "We continue to stand for freedom, equality, and for those who are unfairly being separated from their loved ones".

The Trump administration said the president put the latest restrictions in place after a worldwide review of the ability of each country in the world to issue reliable passports and share data with the United States.

The ruling gave no indication that the Supreme Court weighed inflammatory remarks or tweets made by Trump about Muslims, or his campaign promise to implement a full Muslim ban. Grandparents, cousins and other relatives were among those courts said could not be excluded.

The administration has said the ban is not discriminatory and pointed out that many Muslim-majority countries are unaffected by it.

The justices offered no explanation for their order, but the administration had said that blocking the full ban was causing "irreparable harm" because the policy is based on legitimate national security and foreign policy concerns.

Under the ban, hundreds of thousands of travelers wishing to visit family in the U.S., including children, will be barred from entering the country. If the Court grants the petition for a writ of certiorari, this order shall terminate when the Court enters its judgment.

He says, "All Americans should take heart that President Trump is fully committed to Making America Safe Again, and will continue the fight to ensure their safety no matter what". The director of the ACLU's Immigrants' Rights Project, Omar Jadwat, says, quote, "President Trump's anti-Muslim prejudice is no secret", end quote.